Clause 5 - Abbreviated Advertisements

​5.1 Abbreviated advertisements are advertisements which are exempt from the requirement to include prescribing information for the advertised medicine, provided that they meet with the requirements of this clause.

5.2 Abbreviated advertisements may only appear in professional publications ie publications sent or delivered wholly or mainly to members of the health professions and/or appropriate administrative staff. A loose insert in such a publication cannot be an abbreviated advertisement.

5.4 Abbreviated advertisements must provide the following information in a clear and legible manner:

the name of the medicine (which may be either a brand name or a non-proprietary name)

the non-proprietary name of the medicine or a list of the active ingredients using approved names where such exist

at least one indication for use consistent with the summary of product characteristics

a statement that prescribers are recommended to consult the summary of product characteristics before prescribing, particularly in relation to side-effects, precautions and contra-indications

the legal classification of the product

any warning issued by the Medicines Commission, the Commission on Human Medicines, the Committee on Safety of Medicines or the licensing authority which is required to be included in advertisements

the name and address of the holder of the marketing authorization or the name and address of the part of the business responsible for its sale or supply

the statement 'Information about this product, including adverse reactions, precautions, contra-indications and method of use can be found at [the address of the website referred to below]'.

The following information must be provided on the website referred to above:

either, the information set out in Clauses 4.2 and 4.3 above (except that the non-proprietary name of the medicine or the list of active ingredients, as required by Clause 4.3, must appear immediately adjacent to the most prominent display of the brand name in a size such that the information is readily readable),

or, the summary of product characteristics.

Information about cost as required by Clause 4.2 need not be included on the website where the abbreviated advertisement appears only in journals printed in the UK which have more than 15 per cent of their circulation outside the UK.

5.5 In addition, the non-proprietary name of the medicine or a list of the active ingredients using approved names where such exist must appear immediately adjacent to the most prominent display of the brand name in bold type of a size such that a lower case ‘x’ is no less than 2mm in height or in type of such a size that the non-proprietary name or list of active ingredients occupies a total area no less than that taken up by the brand name.

5.6 In addition, abbreviated advertisements must include the prominent statement ‘Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. Adverse events should also be reported to [relevant pharmaceutical company]’.

5.8 Abbreviated advertisements may in addition contain a concise statement consistent with the summary of product characteristics, giving the reason why the medicine is recommended for the indication or indications given.

The contents of abbreviated advertisements are restricted as set out in Clauses 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 and 5.9 and the following information should not therefore be included in abbreviated

advertisements:

dosage particulars

details of pack sizes

cost.

There may be exceptions to the above if the information provided, for example the cost of the medicine or the frequency of its dosage or its availability as a patient pack, is given as the reason why the medicine is recommended for the indication or indications referred to in the advertisement.

Artwork used in abbreviated advertisements must not convey any information about a medicine which is additional to that permitted under Clauses 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 and 5.9.

Clause 5.6 Adverse Event Reporting

Clause 5.7 Black Triangle Symbol

The agreement between the then Committee on Safety of Medicines and the ABPI on the use of the black triangle is that:

The symbol should always be black and its size should normally be not less than 5mm per side but with a smaller size of 3mm per side for A5 size advertisements and a larger size of 7.5mm per side for A3 size advertisements:

the symbol should appear once and be located adjacent to the most prominent display of the name of the product

no written explanation of the symbol is necessary.

It should be borne in mind that abbreviated advertisements must be no larger than 420 square centimetres in size. In abbreviated advertisements of no more than 310.8 square centimetres (A5) each side should be no less than 3mm. In abbreviated advertisements larger than A5 (but no larger than420 square centimetres) each side should be no less than 5mm.

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of the ABPI which is a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales no 09826787, registered office 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.